Julia's Bistro and Bar Reviews

This is an upscale restaurant in an unexpected, not upscale, area. It's in an old building, very clean but minimalist in style. And the food is absolutely exceptional! Spicy Truffle Fries for the appetizer, and our main courses were the Boeuf Bourguignon, Seared Scallop, and Steak Frites. All delicious. We came here on a Saturday night because it was 1/4 mile from where we were staying and we were too tired to go far. If you want a table - get a reservation! They were fully booked but they seated us at a high top. I'm not a fan of French food - but I am a huge fan of Julia's and will go there again when I am in San Antonio.

Julia's was a disappointing experience, starkly different from Julia Child's French recipes. I wonder if the chef has ever had a true French meal. None of the three of us could eat the food served. The avocado toast was soggy, the fried potatoes were terrible and inedible—how can you mess up potatoes? The eggs Sardou even gave us a stomach ache. The waiter looked concerned as we left most of the food on our plates. Unfortunately, this was a meal to forget.

So this is a relatively new restaurant that got rave reviews from friends who live in the neighborhood - which is why we decided to check it out. Set up is relatively basic but very nice - tables are spaced out and not crammed together. The real star is the food and the pricing. Really, really good and thoughtful french food (with a SA twist) at VERY reasonable prices for what you are getting. Standouts were the cassoulet and the stuffed pork loin - but there wasn't a dish our table of six didn't enjoy. And kudos to our waiter Gino for honesty - he made a point of telling us that gratuity was included because we were a table of six. I've seen many waiters skip over that. I can see that this is going to become a new favorite of ours. In fact - I am going back Saturday with a friend.

Dinner for 6. The Apps were great. We had the French Onion soup, Moules Marinière, Escargot toast, Steak tar tar and the Mole fries all were amazing. However there were opportunities when it came to the Entries. For 2, the Cassoulet and Dinner portion of the Moules, came and the food was very hot. For another 2, I was one of the two, Shrimp and Grits and a Special of the night, I cant remember the type of fish i think it was trout in a bed of sweet potato mash and some type of green veggi, our food came and it was just a bit above warm. For the last two in our party received their food cold one had the Steak Au Poivre with Fries and the other has the Seared Scallops in a risotto. The steak was barely warm and the fries were cold. The Scallops were very salty and the risotto was also very cold, she ended up sending it back and got the Moules which she loved. The steak and fries were returned as well and remade and came out hot. Our waitress was amazing she did a phenomenal job and was very apologetic. The drinks were amazing as was the bartender. We were then in February at that point Julia’s had only been open about 3.5 months and maybe they couldn’t handle a group of 6 people, I can only imagine what would have happened if the other couple in our party hadn’t had to cancel.

Been there before and liked it just fine. Went back. What a mistake! This time, I could have grazed on grass and eaten my shoes and they would both taste better. A moronic waiter trying to convince us that Carneros Pinot is the same as Willamette, Oregon Pinot. Then we asked twice for the special which he had no idea if any was left. The water spits in the wine glasses were tragic. Waiter took for ever to take the order and NEVER check on the table until it was time for the bill. Very inattentive. Salmon, TASTELESS, risotto equally unremarkable. French Onion soup was some kind of brine that was anything and everything but. A knife thrown in the Caesar salad, dressing in the handle. Pork tenderloin I’m overwhelmed by thyme or sone other spice. Beef bourguignon that super salty and demonstrably awful. The water and the two or three pieces of bread that came with the appetizers were the only things they managed to get right. Then again they did not have to cook those. I don’t know what happened but turning the waiter into a dishwasher and the cook into a busboy May very well the perfect place to start. $225 for utter crap!

After raving after my last 2 visits, went back with the family. The service was still excellent, and the food was good, but was really sorry to see that my favorite dish - the Escargot Toast - had changed. Instead of the nice chunks of wonderful bread, it was now served with crostini, and I didn't notice the brie if it was there. Again, it was still a nice meal - but just not as special. Bring back the old Escargot toast, please! And the Mexican Chocolate Tart was good - but not the creamy chocolate dessert I remembered from my last visit just weeks ago!

A nice relatively new restaurant. Getting a lot of vibe but not totally sure why. Decor is minimalist and service is pretty good. Some of the food we had was excellent (the lamb shank) whereas others thought their meals were average,

Wow- is this place good! Excellent food at reasonable prices. The atmosphere is very casual (waiter in t-shirt and jeans), but the service was quite attentive. Every dish we tried (beet salad, seafood crepe, and lamb chile relleno) was super.

Julia’s Bistro is a new French restaurant in the Beacon Hill area on Blanco surrounded by a mishmash of antique stores and cafes but Julia’s star shines brightest. It is large, sunny and comfortable with great staff. My friends and I went twice in one week it was so good. The starters included a very nice beet salad and one of the best butternut squash soups I’ve ever eaten. Another one of my favorites, the escargot toast was worthy of the French bistros I’ve visited on my trips to France, a true delight, and the serving is huge, 4 large pieces. The table next to us raved about them as well and another favorite of theirs was the duck tacos. For entrees, the seafood crepe was enjoyed by one of my friends and several had the hanger steak and said it was delicious. My favorite was the mussels, perfectly prepared, sweet and tender. Everyone at my table loved the samples of the mussels I gave them and everyone dipped their bread in the garlic white sauce that came with them. The bread was crusty outside and soft inside and perfect for dipping. However, the French onion soup fell short. The broth was tasty but only warm not hot. There were not enough onions and it was the wrong kind of cheese which stayed in a rectangular clump instead of warm melted strings that you could round up a bit with each bite so 2 of us would give that a pass next time. And this place is worth a next time or even to become a regular. They have a better by the glass wine list than Bohanan’s with French and Italian offerings that are delicious with very affordable prices. In fact, all of the prices are very reasonable. Dessert is the usual cream brûlée, brownie or apple tart spiced up with an interesting goat cheese ice cream. Julia’s Bistro is a true winner and we will be back over and over again.

It's a great kitchen. Have had two great dinners and a fine lunch.. Dinners: a fabulous Fish Crepe in a primo Mornay Sauce and a marinated duck breast. Food does not get better, only different. And prices gave extra value. Don't let the funky area and plain surroundings put you off. It's all about the food. By the way, house wines are fine and priced to drink. Service also first class.

We took my father here for his 90th birthday.Everything was delicious. Bouillabaisse was excellent. The lamb shank was wonderful. 7 people and everything was wonderful

The restaurant had an intimate atmosphere, great for a nice evening as a couple or with friends. Service was very good and the food was excellent. Would definitely be back.

Y’all.... seriously. Have you been to a restaurant and been served cold food? THIS is not the place... the food was hot and delicious and the drinks were icy cold and delicious! We were so excited over the happy hour appetizers that I forgot to take pictures!! I found them all to be great, but my hubby had trouble with the snails... (but, he always does). We stumbled onto this place, but we will be back!!

The service staff is friendly and attentive. They checked in with us but were not obtrusive. The food is excellent with many creative offerings. The place is lively and they were doing a brisk business-a good sign. Last, I had left something at the restaurant and the management followed through and mailed it back to me in New New England. The entire team cares.

Nice vibe in this older retro area. Decor and bar are fine. It was fully booked when we were there but they serve at the two bars they have and service was very good. We wanted to get a feel but having 4 small plates. The true winner was the mussels. Very traditional, not over powering and the bivalves were quite fresh. Bravo! The duck confit salad and stuffed relleno were somewhat disappointing. The presentation of the salad was weak and there was no appearance of duck until reaching the bottom. The duck meat itself was under seasoned. This has great potential when the slightly americanize this dish. The chili was over cooked and virtually black on the exterior. We could tell the contents were quality and well put together but, again, lacking in any tone to excite the palate. The salmon tostadas were again "almost there" but could have used a bit more salmon to enhance the taste. To be fair, the soft nature of the spice application is pretty authentic French Cuisine so, if that is what the Chef is going for, done. For me, and many, I love good French cooking, preparation and quality but when here in America, it appreciate bringing up the flavors a bit. We will go back several times until we have explored all the offerings. I am really interested in the large plate offerings and will write about that as well. By the way, the bread is simply fantastic! Perfect. Don't miss that. Cheers

Went here for the first time. Super friendly staff. Nice happy hour specials before 7PM (drinks and food). Excellent escargot, grilled Caesar salad as well as the brussel sprout salad. Shrimp was excellent. Great food at great prices. Nice server but food delivered a little out of sequence with the brussel sprout salad after the main entree but overall, still very good all around.

Recent article in the San Antonio News prompted to a visit to the French/Mexican fusion restaurant. The menu is minimalist to be sure but everything our group ordered was as-advertised and excellent....the small plate chili rellenos and duck tacos stood out as did the seafood crepe. The hanger steak (steak frites) was cooked medium rare as ordered but poorly butchered...leaving the tendon and making one portion inedible. Waiter expressed concern but that was it. Will be back though!

We had been to this place when it first opened and have had a good experience with other places the owner had run. This visit was disaster. Service was slow, almost indifferent, and the food, except for the appetizers, was second rate. A steak frite entree was inedible,sent back, and was no better the second time. So called waygu beef was full of gristle and fat. A second entree (salmon with risotto) was delivered as risotto only. The second try on the salmon was edible. The risotto was not. To their credit, neither entrée was billed. We won’t be back..

The food was quite good. The duck confit tacos were outstanding. The moules frites need to bow to tradition. They are always served with good grilled bread. At Julia’s they come without bread. The waiter asked if we wanted bread and after saying yes we were served supermarket bake and serve erzatz French bread and then charged $2.extra. The Moules Frites were the same portion as the appetizer moules , no bigger except for the addition of excellent fries. An appetite portion and entree portion should not be the same size. Your food is good and you just need to fix a few things that will elevate your menu.

My second visit was just as good -no, better - than my first. Took a chance and showed up late without reservations, and was quickly seated. The food is incredibly good and the price is extremely reasonable. A small menu but it has something for everyone - with some really innovative surprises. I still dream about the Escargot Toast - and it complemented my favorite Beet salad. AND leave room for dessert! The service made it a perfect evening - thank you, Lela, for being friendly always making me feel welcome. See you soon!

Excellent service, very courteous staff. Jean Francoise is extremely friendly and runs a great restaurant. We loved the great Cocktails. The truffle mushroom risotto was a little too salty, but there was new kitchen help, so in these days we all understand that.

Savor a special dining treat at Julia's Bistro! Our tribe of 6 enjoyed a delightful evening with a quaint and quirky ambiance. Our server, Lela, was charming and accommodating. The menu offered a pleasing variety and each of our substantial entres surpassed expectations for creative and appealing flavors. Of special note - Julia's allows BYOB with a modest $10 corking fee! Try the apple tart with cheddar cheese ice cream - yummy!